Neighborhood Disorder and Risk‐Taking Among Justice‐Involved Youth—The Mediating Role of Life Expectancy

Abstract

Neighborhood disorder has been linked to perceptions of shorter life expectancies, and shorter life expectancies have been associated with greater risk‐taking. Yet, no studies have combined these two pathways. Using data from the longitudinal Crossroads study, the present study assessed whether life expectancy mediates the association between neighborhood disorder and risk‐taking—substance use, crime, and risky sex—among 1,093 justice‐involved adolescents. Results indicate that neighborhood disorder was linked to lower estimated life expectancy which in turn related to higher rates of cigarette use, binge drinking, illicit drug use, offending, and casual sex. However, life expectancy did not explain the association between neighborhood disorder and marijuana use or inconsistent condom use.

Adolescent Contact, Lasting Impact? Lessons Learned From Two Longitudinal Studies Spanning 20 Years of Developmental Science Research With Justice-System-Involved Youths

“… Mediating role of lower perceived life expectancy on the path from high neighborhood disorder to higher offending, substance use, and risky behavior, as observed in the Crossroads study ( Kan et al, 2021 ). …”

“…In another study using Crossroads data, youths in poorer neighborhoods believed that they would die at younger ages, which in turn was related to higher offending (see Fig. 14 ; Kan et al, 2021 ). Interestingly, this indirect association was significant regardless of the type of offending outcome (e.g., property, violent, drug related), and was also significant when analyses examined other types of risky behavior (e.g., substance use, risky sexual behavior).…”

“…Interestingly, this indirect association was significant regardless of the type of offending outcome (e.g., property, violent, drug related), and was also significant when analyses examined other types of risky behavior (e.g., substance use, risky sexual behavior). Kan and colleagues (2021) proposed a life-history framework ( Roff, 1993 ; Stearns, 1992 ; Stearns et al, 2008 ) whereby youths who witness high levels of disadvantage may expect to die at a young age, subsequently causing them to adopt a fast-paced and risk-taking lifestyle in pursuit of short-term goals and rewards (see also Dunkel et al, 2013 ).…”